Water from the Well

It's truly rare to sit here and have nothing to do and little to worry about - well, work in particular. It's these moments I relish and often use to reflect a little ... a lot rather.

I've had a relatively quiet Christmas with the less than usual hype and number of parties that I've usually had to attend. There were - there were less than before. But it's the general atmosphere of things that was comfortably and enjoyably quiet for me. In the quiet, I took some time to read what friends have written to me in cards and emails and what the kids wrote to me in the course of these two years in particular their moving appeal letters to the School Administration to have me follow them up to second year (it was written last year but I only got it a month ago or thereabouts).

A close friend and mentor once told me I draw people to me - somehow or other. Talking to Dr Yong last night (this early morn rather!) after the dinner party made me recall what this mentor once said - and I can still remember it vividly in the exact tone and phrase that was delivered to me.

Some of the kids very honestly tell me I've had an impact in their lives; some of my younger friends and peers say the same thing. Even those whom I've lost touch for quite a while return to say the same.

Do I feel a sense of 'pride' or 'achievement' in being able to 'influence' people? I don't really think so. If anything, I'm quietly acceptant of this 'fact' that I 'draw' people to me yet feel somewhat perplexed. I don't mean to 'lure' people though I do mean to always establish meaningful relationships. I don't deliberately 'influence' others; I just share my life and what I know. The irony is that I'm not a 'people person'; I'm a pensive introvert.

As Dr Yong and I chatted and readily admitted last night, we want answers to many things in life and in our youth we think we will find them and live life with absolute certainty thereafter. But the 'truth' is often far from what we think ...

And so I am still discovering about myself ... and why I 'draw' people to me and eventually give so much.